Folding music-rack



(No Model.) J. ROCKWELL.

FOLDING MUSIC RACK.

No. 576,327. Q Patented Feb. 2,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ROGKlVELL, OF STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING MUSIC-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters Patent No. 576,327, dated February2, 1897'.

Application filed July 14, 1896.

A citizen of the United States, residing at Stoughton, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Music- Racks, of which the followingis a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is afront elevation of a musicrack constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same partially folded up.Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same completely folded up. Fig. 4 isan end elevation of the same with the parts in the position shown inFig. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

My invention has for its object to simplify the construction of foldingmusic-racks and reduce the number of pieces to a minimum, therebyincreasing the strength and durability of the article, reducing itscost, and enabling it to be opened and closed much more easily andquickly than heretofore.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth, andspecifically pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings my'improved folding rack is shown supported by astand B of ordinaryconstruction, provided, as usual, with folding legsand preferably composed of sections sliding telescopically one Withinthe other in the usual manner to adapt the rack for use when standing orsitting down, the upper section of the stand being provided with asuitable clamping device a for securing the rack thereto when in use.

The rack is composed of the base-bar A,

made of a single piece of sheet metal of L shape in cross-section, tothe opposite ends of which are pivoted at b b the two side bars 0 0,each of which is jointed at 10 and pivoted at its upper end at cl to oneend of a horizontal bar D, which forms the top of the rack. To the topbar D, at short distances from its ends, are pivoted two diagonal barsor braces e e, which cross each other, as shown, their lower portionssliding through guides Serial No. 599,165. (No model.)

f f, which are pivoted to the rear side of the base-bar A, as shown inFig. 5, to enable them to oscillate and thereby accommodate themselvesto the varying angles of the bars 6 e as the rackis opened or folded up,said guides serving to connect the bars 6 ewith the basebar A. Each ofthe bars c e is provided at its lower end with a lip 12, which serves asa stop to prevent the bar from being drawn through the guide f when therack is opened. The bars 6 c assist in holding up the top bar D and formthe central portion of the rack for supporting the music, and when therack is open, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper portions of the bars 6 6project above the top bar D, forming extensions 15 for supporting largesheets of music in a manner to prevent their upper portions from fallingover to the rear. These extensions take the place of the shortsupporting pieces or bars which it has hitherto been customary to pivotto the top bar of the rack and which are objectionable, as they eachrequire to be opened or closed by a separate operation of the hand,while with my improved construction the extensions are projected upwardby the same movement required to open the rack. Lips or projections 9 gare formed at the opposite ends of the base-bar A, which serve as stopsto limit the outward movement of the lower members of the side bars 0 Cwhen the rack is opened.

The several bars, when extended as shown in Fig. 1, form a rectangularrack, and when said rack is to be folded up the jointed side bars 0 Oare first turned inward at the center toward each other, as shown inFig. 2, which causes the top bar D to be carried toward the base-bar Aand the diagonal bars 6 c to slide through the guides ff, when a singledownward pressure of the hand upon the top bar will cause it to bebrought down upon the base-bar A into parallelism therewith, the rackthen assuming the compact shape shown in Fig. 3, when it can be easilycarried in the pocket. if desired.

The above-described rack is of very simple construction, the-usualvertical bar extending from the center of the base to the top bar beingdispensed with, while the number of parts and joints is reduced to aminimum. Another great advantage which will be readily appreciated isthat the rack can be opened by a single movementpf the hand, it beingmerely necessary to take hold of the base-bar A with one hand and'drawthe top bar D away from it with a quick movement of the other hand,which will open the parts to their full extent, as shown in Fig.1, whenthe rack will be ready forimmediate use. i

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In afoldin g music-rack, the combination of the basebar, the jointedside bars pivoted to the opposite ends of the basebar, the top barhaving the upper ends of the side bars pivoted thereto, and the diagonalcrossed bars or braces each composed of a single piece and pivoted tothe top bar on each side of its center and having their lower portionsloosely connected with the base-bar, whereby they are permitted to slidethereon in the direction of their length during the operation of openingor folding up the rack, substantially as described.

2. In afolding music-rack, the combination of the base-bar, the jointedside bars pivoted to theopposite ends of the base-bar, the top barhaving the upper ends of the side bars pivoted thereto, and the diagonalcrossed bars or braces pivoted to the top bar 011 each side of itscenter and having their lower portions connected with the base-bar byguides pivoted to the latter, said diagonal bars sliding through saidguides during the operation of opening or folding up the rack,substantially as described.

3. In a folding music-rack, the combination of the base-bar, the jointedside bars pivoted to the opposite endsof the base-bar, the top barhaving the upper ends of the side bars pivoted thereto, the diagonalcrossed bars or braces pivoted to the top bar on each side of its centerand having their lower portions loosely connected with the base-bar,whereby they are permitted to slide thereon in the di rection of theirlength during the operation of opening or folding up the rack, and thelips or projections g, g, at the ends of the base-bar forming stops tolimit the outward movement of'the side bars, substantially as set forth.

4. In afolding music-rack, the combination of the base-bar A composed ofa single piece, the jointed side bars 0, C, pivoted to the ends of thebase-bar, the top bar D composed of a single piece and having the upperends of the side bars pivoted thereto, and the diagonal crossed bars orbraces e, 0, each composed of a single piece and pivoted to the top baron each side of its center and loosely connected with the base-bar byguides secured thereto, said diagonalbars sliding on said guides duringthe operation of opening or folding up the rack and being provided withextensions 15, adapted to project above the top bar when the rack isopen ed, substantially as described.

lVitness my hand this 11th day of July, A. D. 1896.

, JOSEPH ROCKIVELL.

In presence of P. E. TESCHEMACHER, B. L. MARDEN.

